There is/was a 28.64 acre parcel of land at the foot of the Baars Bridge just north of Perdido Key that has been given a development order for the construction of 325 dwelling units total--to include luxury townhomes.
This project was years in the making, and all the forms were submitted prior to this area becomming a part of District 1 after our once per decade redistricting that happened late last year (and went into effect 10 days after our vote on December 3rd).
In October of 2021, prior to this area being in D1, the owner of the property applied to our Development Services Department for approval(s) to move forward with constructing this development. The final approved development order was issued in early January (January 12th to be precise) of this year, less than 30 days after this area became a part of D1. (I give this timeline to insure folks know it and do not believe incorrect information/misinformation that is being promulgated online by some with axes to grind over the way redistricting went down and other personal issues as well)
Bottom line: I wasn't aware this process was underway during the redistricting process--most were not---except for the staff that was following existing rules, codes, and ordinances to process a bonafide development request which already fit within the allowable uses of our codes.
The parcel was/is zoned Commercial with a FLU (Future Land Use) designation of MU-S (Mixed Use, Suburban) which allows for such a development without going to the planning board.
The project did, however, go through the vetting required by the Land Development Code--which does include rigorous study of the potential impacts such a development will have on the adjacent area.
A five million dollar piece of property--It is my understanding from speaking with a different developer who "passed" on purchasing and developing this particular parcel--that"Yes, he [current owner] is paying tax on that land every year which is substantial, and he tried to generate revenue to offset this tax bill with various temporary business ventures he started, including adding a shaved-ice truck and even some slides for kids--both of which were not well-received by nearby residents." He continued "so at some point to hold a property like that--it has to generate revenue to truly be an asset and not a liability--and thus this development."
Earlier this month, multiple residents contacted me in anger and frustration about this project. Several came to our last public meeting. One individual asked if I would hold a townhall in Perdido so all the
interested residents could learn all about this development and how it came to be--and of course I have agreed to do so.
Residents did not like the kid's water slides and the shaved ice truck--but apparently they are okay with the tin shed constructed self storage nearby and a big open empty dirt lot? That's what is there now. The day after the Thursday meeting where this issue exploded--I drove to Perdido Key after work and went to the property to see it. I understand it will be a radical change from what is there now. I get it--the residents are concerned.
And one of the concerns I heard loudly and clearly from residents in this area is this: "What will this type of development do to traffic--which is already bad?"
Since that time I have requested and received every shred of documentation about this development. All of it. And I am going to link it here on this site in a series of follow-on posts for interested individuals to read prior to the Perdido Town Hall which will occur on Tuesday, October 25th from 6:00-8:00 PM at the Perdido Bay United Methodist Church.
So now that I have looked very intently into all of the details of how this development came to be, I am going to link the traffic study. I had some questions about it which I posed to the current director of Traffic Management and our resident Traffic Engineer Chris Phillips (he was not a staff member when this was approved, his predecessor, Christin Fanchi, approved this prior to her departure earlier this year). I'll be going over my concerns in part II in greater depth, but primarily my questions center on the fact that the adjacent roadways are all graded at a level "D" on an A-F scale in this report--and yet this development was approved. Why was that? My additional concern is that somehow the expert that authored this study believes this development will have a minimal impact during peak afternoon commute time, less than a hundred and thirty additional trips generated. The findings about the adjacent roadways, the turn lanes, and the deacceleration lane coming off of the Baars bridge going north also generated some questions from me. (I am asking the developer's representative as well as the author of this traffic study to attend the town hall to provide explanations and answers to the audience)
Meanwhile--read the study here, for yourself. I look forward to all of the questions that will come--and if we need to change our process or modify it going forward--I look forward to having that conversation as well.
13 comments:
I looked at the traffic study and it is "greek" to me. It will be good to have the October 25th meeting to discuss traffic issues for the area. Also, I would like to know what percent increase the 325 additional residences are to the existing residences on Innerarity. I can not find how many residences currently exist on Innerarity. 500? 1000? What?
These are questions that should have been asked and answered before the development was approved. If the answers are unacceptable, does the development lose its permit? Does construction stop? Seems there are no consequences if this gridlock Perdido key.
Property ownership rights.
If someone wants that be empty they could buy it.
Just like if someone wants to keep the North County as farms, they can buy
tracts and keep farming or letit lay fallow.
Land could be sold to the state for conservation. The DEP has Forever Florida grants.
Look into that if you will.
Complainers have no power -- if they want change, their recourse would be to buy it themselves. Seems like a hard lesson for some.
Yes we get Underhill tries to blame you, it is documented he is a narcissistic liar. We get that. There is a lot of info about the personality disorder that he displayed for the past few years. Still amazing the half dozen who still fall for his and his press secretary's bullshit.
Of course most don't want change nor development.
I don't, but know people have that right.
The same ignorance tries to lay blame on the commission. It sure would be nice if people would educate themselves.
First go to is complain and them blame.
Is there anything that can be done to stop this if it is found that the traffic study should have prevented approval to begin with?
Well, Looking at the drawing there is Ño road improvements whatsoever !
Maybe this will be like some condos that sit 80% empty all year till a holiday.
Christine Fanchi prior to Escambia County hiring her.
https://southfloridareporter.com/city-planner-faces-loss-of-license-over-bad-traffic-counts/
This appears to be Christine Fanchi in 2019
"Christine Fanchi, the City of Fort Lauderdale’s “livability planner” and a professional engineer, is accused of minimizing the effect of removing half the traffic lanes from almost three miles of Northeast Fourth Avenue and Wilton Drive."
https://southfloridareporter.com/city-planner-faces-loss-of-license-over-bad-traffic-counts/
This will be a nice addition to much needed housing inventory. Perhaps some of the local unhoused can move in and keep a local job. Become housed. It's doable.
Please make sure an ECAT route runs that way also.
If more people would use public transportation it would help to alleviate traffic pressure.
There was a congestion management plan addressing this about 10 years ago and one of the best ways to reduce traffic pressure was ECAT. I thinkmit was an ECRP or TPO document 2012. Perhaps that could be brought to the town hall and also addressed.
The idiot past commissioner trying to prevent people from coming to his paradise, not only killed the fourlane but also politicized ECAT and shut down public transportation routes. Fortunately he has no power there and common sense leadership is at the helm now. Thanks for opening the public beach access he tried to keep for himself.
Enjoy the town hall.
Of course there may still be NIMBY and ECWers who come and make a fool of themselves, I know you've got that under control. Most just type and don't like to get in public since it it known they are losers.
Why not get HUD involved and get vouchers for this new development. Some seniors and disabled may like the accommodations. https://www.hud.gov/states/florida/renting
Figure out how to do that please.
"Most just type and don't like to get in public since it it known they are losers."
That's pretty rich coming from someone that is posting ANONYMOUSLY.
If you're going to insult people, at least have the guts to own it.
908
Why so they can collect screen shots and use a county employee to play lawfare to shut down disagreement costing thousands of dollars -- collect sunshine emails and post the addresses to gather and scorn and dox and intimidate.
To smear names of people they disagree with, block their profile and then talk about them in an arena they can't respond?
Gang up like bullies, trying to control the narrative?
Protect the one grafting deceitful hypocrite commissioner who disparges his own peers in an arena they can't respond but if you mention it they gang up on them? Call code enforcement, file false police reports and more?
No thanks. Don't need a club to have an opinion expressed. Nor open myself up to that abuse.
They should know they are dispised and anyone associated with that has no political clout because of that behavior.
No thanks.
Misery loves company. Have at it.
Yes I'm rich because I don't need them nor do I need attention and recognition or especially anyone to disagree.
If I wanted a conversation or debate, I could waste my time. Not interested.
This way, I keep my peace.
This will be built, they are doing the correct process.
Jeff
Traffic Study link Picture showing - Existing Eastbound Canal Drive Approach to SR 292 with Grass Splinter Island. Should be made a right turn only lane - going over the bridge.
The Left Turn Lane (North bound) should egress opposite the development going under the bridge.
If traffic counts have not been counted correctly by staff or ex-staff then the roundabout idea a mile away over the bridge needs to be bought back the the table.
Were the counts ever done in heights of tourist season and on weekends as cars were often up the library on Bauer Rd to Sorrento / PK...This area faces years of traffic chaos if this is not addressed now while the roads are being done.
A town hall? Seriously? That's the last thing we need.
That "rigorous study" is a joke. Did this "Development Services Department" even bother to look at it? Did anyone at the county look at it? It actually tries to claim with a straight face that a 300+ unit apartment building in that spot will require absolutely nothing in the way of infrastructure upgrades. Innerarity's infrastructure hasn't even caught up to the last urban density development that the county rubber stamped into a federal wetlands.
I take it from the brazenly fraudulent nature of that study that no one actually exercises any oversight or discretion on these "rigorous studies." What exactly is the county's role here? To provide an internet dropbox for developers to upload their studies? Seems like the tax payers might be getting overcharged because Adobe can provide that service for about $20 a month.
Believe it nor not, there are local boards that aren't besieged by people who are getting flooded out of their homes by poor planning. That type of board would probably have their Development Services Department tell these Birmingham boys that from the looks of their half-assed study, the impact fees on what they want to do are going to be prohibitively high. As completely foreign as that sounds in Escambia County, that's what a local government that wasn't captive to developers would do.
Speaking of which, what exactly is going on at that work site? Why is a two-acre lake forming in the middle of the parcel? They've brought in enough fill dirt to push the entire wetlands on to the church and it's still flooding? Oh well, the county obviously has no interest in this. I guess the EPA is the only recourse left.
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